Week 7 of the NFL season is shaping up to be a pivotal one for fantasy managers, as familiar faces return to the spotlight and shake up depth charts across the league. Injured stars are coming back just in time to influence playoff pushes, while a few veterans are reminding everyone why they were once fantasy staples. With lineup decisions growing tighter and bye weeks taking their toll, understanding how these returning playmakers—and the teammates affected by their comebacks—fit into the Week 7 fantasy landscape could be the difference between a win and a long Tuesday of regret.
Cincy Back to the Air
Joe Flacco’s arrival as the new quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals carries mixed fantasy implications, offering some stabilization but limited upside. Flacco was traded from the Browns to fill in while Joe Burrow recovers from a toe injury, and in his Bengals debut, he posted a solid 29-for-45 line with 219 yards and two touchdowns. While not a fantasy game-changer, he’s viewed as a low-end QB2 or a viable Superflex option. The biggest positive is that Flacco brings experience and steadiness to an offense that had been erratic under Jake Browning. His accuracy and willingness to push the ball downfield could help revive the fantasy value of receivers Ja’Marr Chase (WR5) and Tee Higgins (WR47), who both suffered from poor target quality earlier in the season. Chase remains a must-start WR1, while Higgins could see a modest rebound if Flacco continues to distribute efficiently.
Because Flacco lacks mobility, the Bengals’ offense may emphasize quicker passes and checkdowns, which could benefit running back Chase Brown (RB30)—particularly in PPR formats. Brown’s role as a safety valve may expand, resulting in more consistent volume and making him a stronger RB2 or flex option. However, there are clear limitations to Flacco’s fantasy ceiling. He’s stationary in the pocket and vulnerable behind a shaky offensive line, which raises sack and turnover risks. Although he may reduce some chaos, he’s still prone to interceptions and won’t add rushing yards, limiting his upside. The Bengals’ offense is also likely to lean more conservative, relying on short, timing-based throws rather than explosive deep shots, which caps the big-play potential of their stars.
Overall, fantasy managers should view Flacco as a short-term stabilizer rather than a breakout candidate. He can be a serviceable streamer or QB2 in superflex leagues, but not a weekly starter in standard formats. Chase remains startable in all leagues, Higgins is a matchup-dependent flex, and Brown gains sneaky value due to an expected increase in targets out of the backfield. While Flacco’s presence prevents the Bengals’ offense from collapsing entirely, fantasy managers should temper expectations and recognize that this move raises the floor for Cincinnati’s skill players—but lowers their ceiling.
Dak Attack
Through the first six weeks of the 2025 season, Dak Prescott has been one of the more efficient and productive quarterbacks in fantasy, largely carrying the Cowboys’ passing game even without his top receiver. He’s thrown for 1,617 yards, 13 touchdowns, and just 3 interceptions, with a passer rating of 104.6. Over recent games, he’s strung together a stretch of zero turnovers and multiple multi-TD outings, reinforcing his current status as a top fantasy QB.
That said, Dak’s supporting cast has been in flux. The return of CeeDee Lamb—when fully healthy—could meaningfully reshape target distribution in Dallas’s passing attack and ripple into fantasy value for several teammates: George Pickens and Jake Ferguson.
With Lamb back in the fold, Dak’s ceiling arguably rises. Lamb has been the focal point of the passing game; his return gives Dak a reliable, high-end WR1 to lean on—something he’s missed while throwing to backups or secondary options. Analysts expect Lamb’s presence to absorb defensive attention, which in turn can free up space for Dak to hit intermediate and deep routes more cleanly. Also, with a more stable receiving corps, Dak is less likely to be limited by erratic target quality or mismatches. In short: Dak’s floor is safer, and his upside creeps upward.
Pickens has become a nice story in Lamb’s absence, stepping up and earning more targets. However, once Lamb returns, which could be as early as this week, Pickens is expected to see some regression in its target share. That said, this isn’t necessarily bad — if defenses shade Lamb heavily, Pickens may benefit in favorable matchups or as the “other” threat. Some reports before the season suggested Pickens’ presence might actually help Dak’s passing numbers by providing a more consistent deep threat, even if he takes a slight bite out of Lamb’s numbers.
Ferguson has been an amazing TE option, especially in the red zone and for short-to-intermediate targets. In the absence of Lamb, he’s drawn some of the overflow. With Lamb back, Ferguson’s target floor may drop, especially if more throws are funneled to Lamb or Pickens. That said, Ferguson should still hold value as a reliable TE1 when matchups are favorable, particularly near the goal line. In fact, early fantasy analysis during Lamb’s absence flagged Ferguson as one of the “winners” who stood to benefit in the short term. Ferguson should also benefit from the field opening up with a prime target like Ceedee returning, expect Ferguson to keep TE1 numbers with or without Lamb on the field.
Uka’s are Hurting
If your name had the letters “UKA” in that order, you may have gotten bitten by the injury bug in Week 6, Puka Nacua and Emeka Egbuka both suffered significant injuries this past Sunday. Puka is said to have suffered a high ankle sprain, and it was eerily similar to what Ceedee Lamb experienced earlier in the season. As of right nor Puka is considered day-to-day as analysts seem to think a 3 week absence is most likely if he is not placed on IR during the week following the game. This leaves a huge target share void as Puka was the WR1 in fantasy (20+ points/game) and saw a great deal of volume. Davante Adams, the newly acquired WR will have to pick up the slack and is very capable as a perennial Pro-Bowler. Look for Kyren Williams to have an increased role as well as the Rams try to spread out the loss that is Puka Nacua to their high-powered offense.
Egbuka was already a lone bright spot in a very gloomy and injury filled WR room in Tampa Bay, well, unfortunately the waters of the Tampa WR room just got muddier. After suffering a hamstring injury on Sunday against the 49ers, Egbuka is expected to miss a few weeks, and the Bucs are left grasping for straws at the WR position. This leads to even more open targets for the taking. Rookie Tez Johnson and TE Cade Otten are sure to see some of these targets, as even in Week 6, both of them earned season highs in fantasy points. Both of these guys are very available on waivers; expect some FAAB to be spent on these players. Baker is playing at an MVP level, and the Bucs are not going to stop leaning on him; someone is going to see these vacated targets.
Giants’ Rookie Watch
Jaxson Dart has shown enough early flashes to make him a compelling week-to-week fantasy decision for owners to make. His dual-threat ability gives him a higher floor than many rookie QBs — he’s already rushed for yards and scored on the ground in his early starts, which helps offset his limitations as a passer. Analysts are advising that while his matchup in Week 7 at Denver is tough (Broncos defenses tend to do well against mobile QBs, 4th highest in the NFL).
Over time, if he can limit turnovers and maintain rushing volume, he may become a low-end weekly starter or high-end QB2, especially in leagues that reward rushing scoring. Because his passing numbers are still volatile and his supporting cast is limited (especially with injuries to top receivers), he won’t be a lock every week — matchups will matter a lot. With that being said, the road is not the easiest in terms of who the Giants will be facing, at it was well documented how hard their schedule was in 2025.
Cam Skattebo, meanwhile, has emerged as a potent weapon in the Giants’ offense. He’s already shown he can find the endzone with ease (three touchdowns in one game), and his role should remain secure. In fact, the relationship between the team and Skattebo is one of the more exciting parts of their offense’s trajectory — Skattebo offers a dependable target and red-zone threat, which helps stabilize the passing game even if the deep passing attack is inconsistent. Not to mention the attitude and culture that Cam brings is unmatched, and his teammates feed off of his enthusiasm. Skattebo’s fantasy ceiling is tied to how much volume they throw his way. Giants are currently struggling to keep people healthy, so I do not see the usage of Cam going down anytime soon if the Giants want to compete.
But even with a tougher defense, Dart still has the rushing floor to produce some fantasy value — though it might be a down week relative to his better outings. Skattebo should still see a fair number of targets, especially in short-to-intermediate and red-zone opportunities, as Denver will likely focus on limiting the deeper throws. Overall, expect a bit of a dip in output from Dart, but Skattebo might remain a sneaky flex, especially in PPR formats. If you have alternatives with safer floors, Week 7 may not be the week you lean heavily into this combo — but don’t write them off.
Week 7 reminded fantasy managers that football is a game of cycles — and sometimes, it’s the familiar faces who end up changing everything. From star players reclaiming their roles to veterans quietly anchoring lineups, this week proved that experience still matters when the season starts to tighten. As we move deeper into the schedule and fantasy playoff pictures begin to form, don’t overlook the value of those steady, proven contributors. The flashiest waiver pickup might win a week, but it’s the familiar faces who can carry you through the stretch run.
